1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a matrix plasma display panel using a gas discharge for producing light emission.
The present application claims priority from Japanese Application No. 2002-29699, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, AC matrix plasma display panels using a gas discharge for producing light emission (hereinafter referred to as “PDP”) have appeared on the market as an oversized and slim display for color screen.
The matrix PDP has two substrates placed opposite each other with the interposition of a discharge space. One of the substrates has an inner surface on which a plurality of row electrode pairs are regularly arranged in a column direction and each extend in a row direction to form a display line, and a dielectric layer covers the row electrode pairs. The other substrate has an inner surface on which a plurality of column electrodes are regularly arranged in the row direction and each extends in the column direction to intersect the row electrode pairs and form discharge cells in the discharge space at the respective intersections, and a phosphor layer is placed in each of the discharge cells.
An addressing discharge is produced between one row electrode of the row electrode pair and the column electrode to generate wall charges on the dielectric layer in each of the selected discharge cells out of the discharge cells in a matrix array. Then, a sustaining discharge is produced between the row electrode pairs located in each of the discharge cells having the wall charges formed therein, to allow the phosphor layer to emit light for generation of an image on the panel surface.
Relating to such a PDP, prior to the present application, the applicant of the present application has suggested the PDP which includes a partition wall provided between the two opposite substrates and having vertical walls extending in the column direction and transverse walls extending in the row direction to partition the discharge space into row and column discharge cells in a matrix, in which the two transverse walls are placed between the adjacent discharge cells in the column direction to form, independently of a first discharge cell providing for a sustaining discharge for light emission, a second discharge cell provided between the two transverse walls concerned and opposite the back to back positioned row electrodes of the adjacent row electrode pairs for a priming discharge and a reset discharge.
In the suggested PDP, the reset discharge is produced within the second discharge cell formed separately from the first discharge cell in order to prevent a displayed image from subjecting to influences of the light emission generated by the reset discharge. And also, the priming discharge is produced within the second discharge cell and priming particles (similar to a pilot light) caused by the priming discharge spread out into the first discharge cell adjacent to the second discharge cell concerned in the column direction, to provide the so-called priming effect for triggering the sustaining discharge in the first discharge cell for generating an image.
The suggested PDP is designed such that the sustaining discharge within the first discharge cell is developed in a surface discharge mode on a flat inner face of the dielectric layer covering the row electrode pairs in order to reduce degradation of the phosphor layer due to the ion bombardment during a discharge for an long life thereof, and likewise, the reset discharge and priming discharge within the second discharge cell are developed in the surface discharge mode on a flat inner face of the dielectric layer facing the second discharge cell.
However, the operation in the surface discharge mode for the reset discharge and the priming discharge requires a higher driving voltage as compared with that in the operation in an opposite discharge mode for them, leading to a problem of an inevitable use of an expensive circuit component capable of withstanding a high voltage.